User blog comment:Biggren/The Silvir Conquest/@comment-7207319-20150205195401/@comment-3135907-20150325001903

The task of searching the Gatehouse records was a long and arduous one, and soon the sun had reached its golden meridian in a sea of wispy white stratus to the north and cirrus to the south and southwest. Glancing out the window at the approaching noontide, Bannel stood up from an untidy stack of dusty, age-worn papyrus and parchment. The mouse sighed and drew a paw across his brow, wiping away the soot and perspiration that had built up from long hours of riffling through the mountains of the weathered documents that seemed to be of an unending nature.

"Some work, this- and who knows how much we still have yet to uncover? Mind-boggling, simply mind-boggling. Ah, here comes Ollo now with noon refreshments."

The door creaked open and a young otter slipped through, in his paw a platter bearing hot, aromatic raspberry-and-mint-leaf tea, along with all manner of biscuits and scones; some with swirled caramel and cream, some with elaborate criss-crossed butterscotch, and yet some surmounted by a single cherry in the center like little buckler-shields with the cherry serving as the boss. Ollo performed a stage bob, presenting the platter above his bowed head. "Preeezenting this marvelous array of exquisite, dandy delights to charm, succor, satiate and revivify! Straight from the one an' only Kitchens h'at the one an' h'only Redwall h'Abbey."

"Ollo, you marvel!" Bannel took the platter hastily, saying little in his anhungred state. The mouse poured the pot of aromatic brew into the two teacups provided, offering one to his squirrel compatriot while at the same time beginning to sup giddily at the raspberry-mint tea and munch greedily at a hazelnut-and-almond shortbread. "Tastes heavenly! Mmm, whoever made this hazelnut beauty needs medal. Make a note of that, Ollo my friend! Mff-snch, scrumptious!"